Signors of one-third to alexander t



(No Model.)

0. M. BALL & S. NORTON.

PROCESS OF SEPARATING ORES..

No. 404,334. Patented May 28, 1889.

WITNESSES: W7, INN/W095 66 WW mg ATTORNEY N. PETERS, Phnla-Lflhngmphor. Wuhinglon. D. Cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON M. BALL AND SHELDON NORTON, OF VEST TROY, NE\V YORK, AS- SIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO ALEXANDER T. PORTER, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF SEPARATING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 404,334, dated May 28, 1889. Application filed January 14, 1889. Serial No. 296,372. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLINTON M. BALL and SHELDON NORTON, citizens of the United States, residing at \Vest Troy, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have in.-

vented certain new and useful Improvements in the Process of Separating Ores; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process of separating magnetic ores from theimpurities with which they are generally found associated,

I 5 such as phosphorus, sulphur existing in the form of pyrites, 85c.

Briefly, the invention consists in causing the movement of the particles of crushed ore through a magnetic field while subjecting the body of ore and gangue to the action of an air-current, whereby the magnetic portions, being restrained by magnetism, the non-magnetic portions will be separated and driven away by the air-current.

2 5 The invention furtherconsists in producing the air-current in a direction contrary to the direction of mot-ion of the crushed ore, and, further, in the specific process and steps, substantially as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In carrying out our process it is necessary to use some form of apparatus, and we illustrate the invention by means of an improved form of magnetic separator, stating, however,

3 5 that we do not herein claim the apparatus, as

such forms the subject matterof another application, Serial No. 287 ,329, filed October 5, 1888.

In the drawing, which forms part of this specification, is shown a vertical section of a separating apparatus embodying the features of the present invention.

To construct the hopper 1, having an adjustable gate, with the distributing-edge 2 adapted to spread the ore and gangue uni- 5 formly and to an even depth over an inclined apron, 3, which feeds into a vertical chute, 4, whose lower end is connected to the inlet of the rotary fan or blower 5, which may be conveniently operated from the counter-shaft let by the belt 6 and pulley 7.

Situated on the frame-work of the structure are the two parallel shafts 8 and 9, and these carry the drums 10 and 11, over which passes an endless belt, 12, or screen of, preferably, non-ma'gnetic material, drum 11 being'55 driven positively by means of a belt connecting with any suitable source of power. Both or either of the ends of the apparatus between the drums 10 and 11 and the face of the inclined apron 3 may be open to the at1nos= 6o phere, so that by the operation of the blower 5 currents of air are produced at these points and eventually deflected downwardly into chute 4, as indicated by arrows in the figure.

In the space between the drums 10 and 11 I place a magnet, which preferably takes the form of a series of poles, M M M M &c. These magnets may be either permanent or electro-magnets, and they are so arranged as to have their free poles in close proximity to the inner face of the belt 12 next the inclined apron 3. By preference the free poles are arranged in alternation as to polaritythat is, if the first pole is north the second is south, the third north, the fourth south, and so on throughout the series, which may be of any desired number; but for the purposes of the present invention the particular polar relation of the magnets is unessential.

The operation will be as follows: The oreand 8o gangue having been crushed and placed in hopper 1 are allowed to move downwardly along the apron 3 and come within the attractive influence of the first pole of the magnetic system, and all the magnetic particles contained in the body of ore are immediately attracted and held against the moving belt 12, which on this side is moving downwardly, as indicated by the large arrow, and as the belt continues to move the particles thus attracted against it are maintained there until they have been carried by the belt out of the inductive influence of the entire series of magnet-poles, whereupon they fall away from the non-magnetic belt by gravity and are discharged from the apparatus. The particles are therefore restrained as against the force of gravity while passing through the magnetic field, and are limited in speed to the speed given the belt. While thus passing mo through the magnetic field, theattracted particles of magnetic ore are subjected to the cleansing action of the currents of air, as be fore stated, but particularly by the current induced upwardly at the lower portion of the magnetic field, where the blowing and cleansing action of the air will be strongest, owing to the fact that while the air is moving in one direction the particles of ore are moving in the opposite direction. The result is that all mechanically separable particles adhering to the particles of magnetic ore can be in this manner very thoroughly detached and removed therefrom, so that at the discharging end of the apparatus the magnetic ore is received in a perfectly clean condition, even the fine and almost impalpable particles of dust and all foreign substances being thoroughly removed from the ore. I

\Ve have shown and described a particular manner of utilizing a blast of air; but we do not confine ourselves to the particular embodied relation indicated, as the same is subject to numerous modifications in the mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, which do not form any portion of the invention embraced by this application.

\Ve claim as our invention 1. The process of separating magnetic ore from its accompanying impurities, consisting in causing the movement of the particles of ore through a magnetic field in a given direction by interposing a moving non-magnetic screen between the ore and the magnet producing such field, and at the same time subjecting the body of ore and gangue to the action of a current or currents of air in an opposite direction to that of the ore.

2. The process of separating magnetic ore from its accompanying impurities, consisting in causing the movement of the particles of ore through a magnetic field while interposing a moving non-magnetic screen between the ore and the magnet producing such field, and at the same time subjecting the ore and gangue to the action of a current of air.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON M. BALL. SHELDON NORTON.

\Vitnesses:

F. J. DUNN, H. M. Donennv. 

